Socioeconomic Determinants of Livelihood Dependence on Forestry Resources in Leh Himalaya, India

A comprehensive understanding of the underlying socioeconomic determinants is crucial for the implementation of forestry interventions in the Indian arid region, particularly in cold deserts. This study investigated the socioeconomic determinants of livelihood dependence on forestry resources in Leh Himalaya, India. Using a multi-stage random sampling technique, the data were gathered from 185 sample families selected from five blocks and nine chosen villages. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that out of the twelve socioeconomic determinants, ten factors, including education (0.536), social participation (0.604), family composition (0.592), size of land holding (0.554), housing status (0.688), possession of livestock (0.711), main occupation (0.521), wealth status (0.427), and annual income (0.570), exhibited a significant positive correlation with livelihoods based on forestry resources, while urban closeness (-0.678) demonstrated a significant negative correlation. The coefficient of determination (R2) of multiple regression analysis is 0.865, implying that all the socioeconomic variables jointly explained 86.50% of the variation in the forestry resource-based livelihood. The F value (92.12) indicated that the R2 is statistically significant (p < 0.05). Prioritizing socioeconomic upliftment and livelihood diversification through strengthening forestry interventions is an effective strategy for poverty alleviation for downtrodden people. The characterization of the socioeconomic determinants of forestry-based livelihoods for farmers will be the basis for the planning and implementation of forestry programmes for forestry resource production and livelihood diversification in the Leh district of Ladakh.